ALLIANZ Cumann na mBunscol
BOYS’ INDOOR FOOTBALL HEAT 4: OMAGH
Allianz Cumann na mBunscol Thír Eoghain held the fourth Heat of its annual Boys’ Indoor Football 5-a-side competition in Omagh’s Station Centre. A total of eight schools competed in another action-packed day of tremendous football providing thrills and skills to a high degree.
Teachers helped draw the teams into two groups of 4. Section ‘A’ featured St. Colmcille’s P.S. Carrickmore; St. Catherine’s P.S. Strabane; St. Mary’s P.S. Strabane and St. Dympna’s P.S. Dromore. The lads from Strabane played tremendously throughout but they just missed out on progression despite their worthy efforts. Instead, Carrickmore topped the section with 3 wins from 3 followed by runners-up Dromore picking up a brace of wins. Both of these schools, therefore, secured a semi-final place.
Section ‘B’ comprised St. Conor’s P.S. Omagh; St. Patrick’s P.S. Castlederg; St. Patrick’s P.S. Newtownstewart and Holy Family P.S. Omagh. St. Conor’s topped the section with a couple of wins, and they were joined in the semi-finals by group runners-up Holy Family P.S. (after a tense 2-1 play-off win over a classy Newtownstewart). Castlederg played some great stuff but just came up short on progressing by a single point.
We were now ready for the semi-finals. A talented Holy Family P.S. Omagh took on Carrickmore in an excellent game. Carmen, however, prevailed 3-1 to earn their place in the heat final whilst maintaining their 100% record.
A battling St. Conor’s pushed St. Dympna’s all the way before the Omagh lads fell to a 3-1 reverse. Holy Family and St. Conor’s both deserve enormous credit.
Our final saw the unbeaten Carrickmore team lock horns with the brave St. Dympna’s P.S. Dromore lads. It was always going to be a tight affair and so it proved. The Dromore lads, managed superbly by Cathy Martin, gave their all, but a narrow 2-1 scoreline saw St. Colmcille’s emerge victorious. Whilst it was heartache for the gallant St. Dympna’s, it was jubilation for Carrickmore and their mentor Master Mark Donnelly. They now proudly advance to the Tyrone Co. Finals to be held in March.
We wish them well. Ádh mór oraibh!
Finally, thanks to Brian McGinn for his top class officiating as referee, and to Damian Kelly (Allianz Cumann na mBunscol, Thír Eoghain) for superbly coordinating today’s event. Our thanks, also, to the staff from the Station Centre for their hospitality over the past few days.
Go raibh maith agaibh!
